Blue-winged Olives
Baetis
Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.
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Some characteristics from the microscope images for the tentative species id: The postero-lateral projections are found only on segment 9, not segment 8. Based on the key in Jacobus et al. (2014), it appears to key to Neoleptophlebia adoptiva or Neoleptophlebia heteronea, same as this specimen with pretty different abdominal markings. However, distinguishing between those calls for comparing the lengths of the second and third segment of the labial palp, and this one (like the other one) only seems to have two segments. So I'm stuck on them both. It's likely that the fact that they're immature nymphs stymies identification in some important way.
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Needleflies
Like most common names,"Needlefly" can refer to more than one taxon. They're previewed below, along with 2 specimens. For more detail click through to the scientific names.
Stonefly Family Leuctridae
These are often called Needleflies.
Leuctra is the only genus of any known importance to trout anglers. Their wings are rolled to a needle-like point; hence the common name, needle flies.
This is one of rarest stoneflies in western Montana. It is a bit unusual that it is fairly abundant in a handful of streams that empty into the east side of Flathead Lake. A very beautiful bug.
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Stonefly Genus Leuctra
These are often called Needleflies.
Ernest Schwiebert notes in Matching the Hatch that trout are very fond of these uncommon stoneflies when they are available.
Stonefly Genus Megaleuctra
These are often called Needleflies.
This is one of rarest stoneflies in western Montana. It is a bit unusual that it is fairly abundant in a handful of streams that empty into the east side of Flathead Lake. A very beautiful bug.
Stonefly Genus Perlomyia
These are often called Needleflies.
See 1 more specimen...
References
- Jacobus, L. M., Wiersema, N.A., and Webb, J.M. 2014. Identification of Far Northern and Western North American Mayfly Larvae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera), North of Mexico; Version 2. Joint Aquatic Science meeting, Portland, OR. Unpublished workshop manual. 1-176.
- Schwiebert, Ernest G. 1955. Matching the Hatch. MacMillan Publishing Company.